An Empirical Learner-based Study on Transferring Mechanism of Chunks in Chinese-English Consecutive Interpreting

Based on the cognitive mechanism of chunks, the paper, by designed experiment, studies how learning interpreters of different competent levels use chunks in the Chinese-English interpretation and what features they present. An empirical study was conducted, by collecting authentic test data from interpreting-major undergraduates and designing chunk extraction and scoring protocols based on Fillmore's tripartite framework, to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. The results show that bi-lingual transformation between chunks is essentially the transformation between conceptual system of our cognition and cognitive representations. Highly competent learning interpreters are proved to be better at processing and transforming chunks bilingually. They also demonstrate stronger resistance to native language interference. This study hence provides references for how to create more cognitive represents for a concept within a linguistic sub-system so as to boost learner adaptability to a conceptually diversified context. Such conceptual mapping can facilitating the transition of lexical chunks from working memory to long-term storage through internalization.